Preparation of PrFexCo1exO3/Mt catalyst and study on degradation of 2-hydroxybenzoic acid wastewater by catalytic wet peroxide oxidation

• A novel PrFexCo1exO3/Al-pillared montmorillonite catalyst was synthesized via solid-melting method, achieving 97.64% degradation of 2-hydroxybenzoic acid and 75.23% COD removal in CWPO. • The optimal Co/Fe molar ratio of 7:3 and solid-melting preparation method yielded superior catalytic performance and structural properties. • The catalyst exhibited high stability and reusability, maintaining 76.93% degradation after five cycles, attributed to reduced metal leaching. • The degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, with Langmuir-Hinshelwood analysis confirming catalysis dominance, highlighting the potential for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment.